LET’S GET FOCUS: Teach them young

Growing up in this society can be a crazy, enjoyable, scary and frustrating thing. Trying to become a lovely, talented, confident and intelligent woman can be even harder. With so many issues facing women, self-esteem is at the root of all these issues.

This is why I strongly believe that if we as a society start teaching ladies at a young age that they are appreciated, this problem with self-esteem will start to disappear.

Every woman needs to realize that she is beautiful, no matter her color, size or where she is from. We all add something different and special to this diverse thing we call life. For some, having high self-esteem comes naturally, but for most this is something that has to be taught and understood.

Mothers: Teaching your little girl that she is a precious jewel and that she is worth more than silver and gold is one of the most important lessons that you could ever teach her.

Fathers: Showing your little girl how a man should always treat her is the greatest gift you could ever give her.

Too many young girls look to society to tell them how to live their life and what is and isn’t accepted. They must first understand that popularity isn’t everything and that once you are true to yourself, everything else will come second. Once we get past the pre-teen and teen stage, pressure can even be found in the real world as adults. We have to mentally prepare ourselves to get rejected and criticized on a regular basis.

This rejection seems to come from every direction, including family, friends, co-workers and even associates. A wise woman once told me that, “People are in your life for a reason and a season,” meaning sometimes you have to get rid of certain people in your circle to really enjoy your own life.

Ladies, stop living for other people, and stop looking for someone else to complete your life. To truly have someone love you, you must first love yourself. You have to be spiritually, physically and mentally prepared to give your heart to someone.

As we continue to move along this journey, just remember that you are special and that we as women have no reason to ever have low-self-esteem.

Believe and have faith always. Once we do that, everything else will work out just fine.

Iasia Jenkins is the editor-in-chief of The Wildcat Chronicles, a student newspaper at Johnson & Wales University’s North Miami campus.